NatCom Turney, Mitchell, NEWS OK'd By Bill Evers off-budget, thus "sidestepping" the NatCom's The Libertarian National Committee, at its own debt-reduction requirements. Overhead November 22-23 meeting in Los Angeles, charge supporters also said that it is difficult to confirmed National Chair Jim Turney's nomi­ raise money directly to support headquarters nation of Terry von Mitchell as national direc­ overhead, and if most "glamorous projects" tor, adopted a $263,000 budget, and appointed were farmed out to self-funding subcommittees, half the members of the 1987 national plat­ then headquarters would starve. form committee. Those opposing an overhead charge said it The Committee declined to adopt a proposal would cripple decentralized initiative and did to add an overhead charge when billing its self­ not reflect real overhead burdens imposed by funded subcommittees. It also heard but did the subcommittees, but was instead an un­ not adopt the recommendation of NatCom warranted cross-subsidization. Franzi suggested member Dale Hemming that a thorough house­ that an overhead charge would appear to cleaning was needed in the Houston head­ donors as a subsidization of a pattern of going quarters staff, in LP NEWS, and in the post of into debt. national chair. Hemming at several points during the meeting The appointment of Mitchell gave Tumey a said that action needed to be taken to replace national director who was directly Turney's the Party's current top management. He own choice. The previous national director, questioned the appropriateness of appointing Perry Willis, had been appointed by immediate Mitchell, saying that there were financial and past chair Randy VerHagen. Willis continued membership problems during Mitchell's tenure into Turney's term, but had to resign when as acting director. He said that certain material chronic illness prevented him from working full published in LP NEWS constituted a breach of time. The motion to confirm Mitchell was contract by the subcontractor and proposed supported in a vigorous speech by Emil Franzi, that if "any further breaches" occurred, the who argued that a chairperson oughtbasically subcontractor be sued for damages. be· able to "pick his own director." This, He also proposed that the NatCom call for according to Franzi, meant a better working Terry von Mitchell, newly confirmed national the national chair's resignation on the ground relationship between chair and director and director. · that the chair had not effectively dealt with the allowed the Party membership and theN ational Party's financial, membership, and debt prob~ Committee to "hold the chair responsible" for from donors in orderto reach the $6,000 per !ems and had not heeded the NatCom's policy the director's performance. month that is needed to pay for getting the 1988 directives on what was to be done. Hemming's The budget adopted by the NatCom was national ticket on the ballot in all· 50 states. proposals did not receive support from the drafted and proposed by Tumey and was based National Secretary Dean Ahmad proposed Committee. Committee members stated in on work done some weeks earlier by the budget that a 10 percent overhead charge be added by private conversations and in debate that the subcommittee. The adopted budget assumes national headquarters when billing all self­ new realistic budget, discussions between the conservatively that 1987 revenues will be like funded subcommittees for items. The wording editor and the national chair on LP NEWS 1986 revenues. National Treasurer Sam Trey­ of the resolution and the subsequent debate left editorial policy, and new membership and nor, Vice Chair Sharon Ayres, and former it unclear whether the effect of the measure was fundraising efforts are the best ways to tackle treasurer David Walter had been contending to add an overhead charge only to bills that the problems cited by Hemming. for many months that fiscally conservative subcommittees paid to the national headquar­ The NatCom appointed 1984 presidential assumptions of this sort were necessary if the ters, or to collect an overhead on all spending nominee David Bergland as temporary chair of Party wanted to have a "realistic budget.·· by self-funded subcommittees. the platform committee for the Seattle presi­ Other notable features of the budget were a Those favoring an overhead charge said it dential-nominating convention. It selected Lew reduction in spending on LP NEWS (while made good business sense and reflected real Rockwell, Paul Jacob, Robert Poole, Murray still preserving its frequent appearance) and a overhead burdens imposed by the subcom­ Rothbard, Joe Cobb, Kathleen Richman, Larry small allocation for seeking new members and mittees. Ahmad contended that self-funded Dodge, Dale Pratt, and Peter Breggin to serve donors. The need to seek new members and committees were a mechanism that places "an on the committee. Additional members are to donors was the central feature of a well­ increasing portion" of the national LP's funds be selected by the I 0 largest state parties. prepared finance report by Sharon Ayres. The NatCom also adopted an incentive program, proposed by David Walter, that will reward the New Hampshire Poll Taken headquarters staff if more money is raised than is assumed in current budget projections. The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire on victimless crimes such as gambling. Another wett~prepared- report. was-- that of recently completed a survey of 1,000 citizens • To solve the prison overcrowding problem, ballot-access chair Stephen Fielder. He ex­ in the state. The survey was performed by 37 percent say more money should be spent on plained the effects of the November 1986 Public Opinion of New Hampshire (based in crime prevention; 25 percent want private election. He reported on the success of the Concord). Survey results may be of interest to companies to build and tun the prisons; 16 Texas ballot drive, which was completed by both the voter and the political establishment: percent say the state should build more prisons; the state party on its own. The LP has, • 52 percent of those responding want lower and 13 percent want NH to spend more money however, lost ballot status in Idaho. Fielder property taxes, compared to 41 percent who on rehabilitation. explained that the ballot-access subcommittee are satisfied with the tax rate as it stands. (The • When questioned about the maximum speed did not learn about the problems in Idaho until rest want higher taxes or have no opinion.) limit of 55 mph in the state, 56 percent favor it was too late. • 50 percent favor privately funded kinder­ either raising the speed limit or letting highway Fielder reported that his subcommittee had gartens, or want a mix of public and private engineers (not politicians) decide what the detailed projections of the costs of each state kindergartens; 48 percent favor standard tax­ safest speed limit is. ballot drive. He was optimistic about the financed kindergartens. • 76 percent say the sale of second-hand fundraising situation. But he noted that the • 98 percent of the ·responses say law en­ goods, such as jewelry and stereos, should not ballot-access effort needed additional support forcement should not concentrate its funding be regulated by the state. 2 January/February 1987 Libertarian Party NEWS ~. ..("~ -...- ~"" ,.; ..... .: ,· . .l.. NEWS Letters. to the Editor _.;. .. ;"'' Ron: Yes for "a legitimate function of government"). If to, I adequately cover the Libertarian idea of Guidelines It certainly isn't too early for Libertarians to he'd prostitute his ideals for that, who knows self-ownership. More importantly, I have an Here are some guidelines for gathering news consider who to run in the presidential sweep­ what would be next? His 1984 campaign for audience to speak to. It is well enough to have a stakes. Already the statists have lined up the federal Senate certainly wasn't hard-core; great philosophy; but unless one has an audi­ for the Libertarian Party NEWS. They are calling for big government. At this time the why would anyone think he'd be more prin­ ence, the number of the philosophy's adherents offered in hope of inspiring more people to send leading contenders are Mario Cuomo, George <;ipled running for a higher office? will diminish in a short-time. more and also better news for sharing with Bush, Pat Robertson, and Pierre DuPont-not Ron Paul did some good in Congress, and he Most recently, I was invited to speak at. other libertarians. one of them an advocate of anything remotely . should be thanked for that. He has the ability to Princeton University, at the Fall Forum on If you send clippings, be sure they are dated resembling freedom. present libertarian stands to conservatives in a Pornography. I was well received, and I was and the source is clearly stated. A note giving What is fascinating is that all these candi­ way· that appeals to them, and he should be taken as seriously as any of the distinguished your .impression of why th,e clipping should dates (except for Robertson) are from the pro­ congratulated on that. But we don't need to guests. interest other libertarians would be helpful. The situation covered in the clipping may not State middle of the political spec~ and will lower ourselves to the level of the subsidized I appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show two be unacceptable to large numbers of liberals parties. by nominating someone who's that days after the election, and one week later I be clear to someone totally unfamiliar with it. All state and local newsletters. are welcome and conservatives. This means that large num­ quick to sell his soul for votes. appeared on the Joan Rivers Show. I have been and the editors of the Libertarian Party NEWS bers of people who are pro-free market or pro­ invited back as a possible regularly-appearing hope that every single libertarian editor will peace/civil liberties are left out in the cold.